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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269246">Collapse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieComma/pseuds/KatieComma'>KatieComma</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mac + Jack + Nick [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Badass Jack Dalton, Don't Underestimate Matty Webber, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Jill Never Died, Let's Not Forget Nick Is a Badass Too, Mac Whump, MacDaltonStokes, Multi, Poly Relationship, Polyamory, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:40:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,659</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieComma/pseuds/KatieComma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Phoenix is breached.</p><p>Jill and Nick can't seem to find a safe place to hide, and then they run into Mac and Jack.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016)/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)/Nick Stokes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mac + Jack + Nick [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1393999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Collapse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>THIS IS MY 100TH FIC POSTED ON AO3!!! EEEEEKKKK</p><p>In honour of this great milestone I put up a poll on Tumblr for what I should write. The results are as follows:</p><p>Ship: MacDaltonStokes<br/>Trope: Hurt/Comfort<br/>Word: Collapse</p><p>Thanks to everyone who voted!</p><p>I'm not GREAT at Hurt/Comfort - I hope this... doesn't suck.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nick is just about to add a drop of solution to the specimen in front of him when a loud alarm goes off, and red siren-like lights start flashing throughout the lab and in the hallway. It startles him, and he drops the solution on the countertop instead.</p><p>“What in the hell?” He asks, standing up to look around.</p><p>Jill is the only other person in the lab, and she’s rolling her eyes dramatically as she hauls herself up off her chair. “Alright, let’s go,” she calls over the alarm and beckons him to follow her.</p><p>“Let’s go where?” He asks, still holding the dropper, careless of the solution he’s spilling here and there.</p><p>“The safe zone,” she says. “Hurry up, let’s go.”</p><p>Nick replaces the dropper and leaves everything where it is, peeling his gloves off and tossing them into the garbage on the way by.</p><p>“Lose the lab coat,” she says near the door, stripping her white coat and dropping it on a desk. “If they see you in a lab coat they’ll think you’re important.”</p><p>“Who? What are you talking about? What is with the sirens?” He asks, but obeys, dropping his coat on top of hers and following her into the hall.</p><p>“Phoenix has been breached,” she says. “That’s what the alarms are all about. Happens every so often.”</p><p>“Every so often?” Nick asks, alarmed, hand reaching to his belt where he used to carry a gun when he worked CSI in the field. “What exactly does that <i>mean</i> Jill?”</p><p>“Pretty standard for this place,” she says, walking casually down the hall as though there might not be bad guys lurking around every corner. “There’s a protocol. We make it to the closest safe zone, lock the door, and wait it out. Like little panic rooms stashed all over this place for personnel that aren’t equipped to handle a threat. All this should have been in your employee manual.”</p><p>Nick feels foolish suddenly for not having read the whole thing. “Why do you sound so calm and collected right now Jill?” Panic starts to well up in him, and then something occurs to him. “And exactly how big are these <i>little</i> panic rooms?”</p><p>Jill thinks for a second, eyes toward the ceiling, as she turns a corner automatically, grabbing Nick’s wrist in her cool-fingered grip. Jill’s hands were always cool, and it soothed the heat he felt bubbling up under his collar at the thought of being trapped in a small room for an undefined period of time.</p><p>“I think they’re built to fit about 20 people or so comfortably.”</p><p>Nick feels his body relax a little, until he remembers that bad guys have breached the facility.</p><p>“It also could just be a drill,” Jill says, turning another corner into a long hallway. “Matty does drills sometimes to keep us on our toes.”</p><p>Gunfire erupts somewhere in the distance. Nick knows that sound well, has heard it too many times for someone who was only ever supposed to be a science nerd working forensics.</p><p>Jill’s fingers tighten on his wrist. “Not a drill then,” she shrills. “The room’s just at the end.” She pulls him forward, jogging down the hall. Nick lets his hand slip into hers, locking their fingers together, both of their palms sweaty.</p><p>She drags him into a utility closet. One of the shelves has been pushed aside, a keypad visible. “Uh oh,” she says softly.</p><p>“Uh oh?” Nick asks, trying not to sound desperate as he closes the door softly behind them. “What do you mean uh oh?”</p><p>Jill points to the shelf. “If someone’s already moved the shelf… I think that means this room is occupied.”</p><p>“Occupied? Won’t they let us in?” He asks.</p><p>“They can’t,” Jill says. “Once the door is closed, it won’t open again until the lockdown is released. It prevents the bad guys from coercing people into opening them. Because they just can’t. Here watch.” Jill walks up to the keypad and types in a code. The keypad turns red and makes an annoying sound. Nothing else happens, no door opens. “Yup. This room is taken.”</p><p>“Where’s the next one?” Nick asks, moving back toward the door to the hall and listening.</p><p>“The other side of this floor. Over by the staff room,” she says, her face apologetic like she just kicked a puppy.</p><p>“You mean, in the opposite direction from the lab?” He asks.</p><p>Jill nods.</p><p>Nick sighs and finds the resolve inside that he’s used more than a few times when facing harsh situations. The resolve that started to build on that first case that someone pointed a gun at him and he’d broken down in tears before Griss had come to the rescue. It’s built like sediment over time, turning from sand into hard rock, and he finds that place and leans on it until he feels more steady.</p><p>“Ok, let’s go then,” he says, voice firm as he turns back to the door.</p><p>He takes Jill’s hand again, and now she’s shaking, her confidence waning.</p><p>“It’s ok Jilly bean,” he says using the cute friendly nickname he’s developed for her, hopefully putting her at ease, “we’re gonna make it through this.”</p><p>She tightens her jaw and nods. “Let’s go.”</p><p>Every footstep in the hallways seems to echo. They hear the occasional burst of automatic gunfire, or sometimes a single shot from a handgun. But they seem to be moving further away from the action, and that makes Nick breathe a little easier with each step.</p><p>They’ve been moving careful and slow, and it’s been almost an hour since the siren went off, and they’ve just passed the lab again. Their hands slide against each other, slick with nervous sweat.</p><p>Nick peers around another corner: no one there. He pulls Jill with him into the hallway and they hurry toward the end, backs against the wall.</p><p>Suddenly a figure in black rounds the corner at the end, gun held up and ready, scanning the hallway.</p><p>Nick turns to shield Jill and pushes her back the way they’ve come. “Back! Back! Back!” He instructs, trying to keep himself between her and the men at the end of the hall.</p><p>“Nicky?” Jack’s voice echoes off the walls, and Nick’s whole body relaxes immediately.</p><p>He keeps Jill behind him as he turns to find Jack and Mac jogging down the hall toward them, both wearing tactical vests, Jack strapped with enough guns to survive the zombie apocalypse; Mac strapped with none, as per usual.</p><p>“What in the hell are you two doin’ out here?” Jack asks, keeping his gun raised and watching both ends of the hall.</p><p>Mac lays a soft hand on Nick’s shoulder, and raises an eyebrow that asks: “are you ok?” without words.</p><p>“We’re good, we’re good,” Nick replies with a nod, letting out a shaky breath.</p><p>“Safe zone was occupied,” Jill says. “We were headed for the one by the staff room.”</p><p>“No good,” Jack says. “Maintenance crew is in that one. We just locked them up in there.”</p><p>Jill sighs heavily and leans back against the wall. “Just my luck.”</p><p>“That’s ok, we’ll get you guys to safety,” Mac says. “Jack, can you get an update? Should we go up or down?”</p><p>Jack lifts a radio strapped to his tac vest. “Zhao report!” He says, firm but quiet. “Update on hostiles.”</p><p>Nick doesn’t listen, but leans toward Mac. “What’s going on?” He asks.</p><p>Mac shakes his head. “All we know at this point is that there’s been a breach,” he replies, “just trying to contain right now. See if we can capture anyone alive, and go from there.”</p><p>Nick breathes again, but it’s a short little puff that comes out shaky.</p><p>Mac’s hand on his shoulder tightens. “You’re gonna be ok Nicky. Promise. We’ve been in way worse situations than this.”</p><p>“Hell, I’ve been in worse situations than this,” Jill says with a huff of laughter.</p><p>Nick and Mac both smile at her, and she shyly smiles back, pushing her glasses up her nose.</p><p>“Alright team,” Jack says, dropping the radio. “They went up. Which means we’re going down.”</p><p>“Up…” Mac says thoughtfully. “Like, toward the servers? Cause that’s the only thing up that’s of any value. All the big important stuff other than the servers is in the basement.”</p><p>“Thinkin’ later hoss,” Jack says, eyes still searching the hallway for threats. “For right now let’s get these two to safety. We’ve seen these guys in action, and they’re carrying some serious firepower.”</p><p>“Really?” Jill asks.</p><p>They start down the hallway toward the stairwell.</p><p>“Yeah,” Mac says, letting Jack focus on covering their retreat, “came around a corner and just about took a shot from an AR-15.” Mac looks a little pale, sweat beading on his brow. The rush of adrenaline and stress from the situation, no doubt.</p><p>“Good thing you’re wearin’ that vest,” Jack pipes up. “Or that pistol shot would’a put you down.”</p><p>“You’ve been shot?” Nick asks, looking down at Mac’s vest.</p><p>Mac shakes his head. “Just in the vest, I’m fine,” he says as they reach the stairwell. “It hurts. A lot. And it’ll definitely bruise. But that’s not important right now.”</p><p>“Like hell it ain’t,” Nick says.</p><p>Jack meets all of their eyes and holds a finger to his lips before he slips into the stairwell to listen. Once he’s sure it’s clear they move in and take the stairs down two flights (just to make sure).</p><p>Jack’s radio crackles just as they exit the stairwell.</p><p>“Server room breached! Server room breached!” Then loud gunfire before the audio cuts out with a hiss of static.</p><p>“Damnit!” Jack says. “Let’s get these guys into a safe zone and get the hell up there Mac!”</p><p>Nick’s heart stops. He doesn’t want them running into this; headlong into danger. He knows that it’s what they do on a regular basis. But it’s one thing to sit in the lab and be so separated from it, to watch them leave with smiles on their faces and longing in their eyes; another thing entirely to be in the middle of it and let the two men he loves run off together to try and get killed.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, Jack,” Mac replies to the call to danger as though it’s just another day; no big deal. He pants a little, out of breath. Nick isn’t breathing heavily, and neither is Jack, and Mac’s in better shape than either of them.</p><p>As they rush down the hall, Nick takes Mac’s hand and squeezes hard. Mac looks into his face and his eyes go wide at the fear he sees in Nick’s expression. Nick can feel it, and almost wants to be ashamed, but he can’t be. Mac’s face looks even more pale as he grins a lopsided smile full of hope in Nick’s direction.</p><p>They sneak into a run-of-the-mill looking office, open the little coat closet inside and find another pin pad. Jill inputs her code and the light on the pad flashes green as a door springs open.</p><p>“All set!” Jill says as she sneaks inside. “Come on Nick.”</p><p>“You guys be safe,” Nick says, reluctantly letting Mac’s hand go.</p><p>“You bet,” Jack guarantees.</p><p>Mac looks at Nick. “Don’t…” He pants again, breathing heavy. Confusion lights up his face and he bends over a little as though trying to catch his breath, hands on his knees. “I-“ Before he can say more he collapses to the floor, eyes rolling up in his head.</p><p>Nick’s next to him on his knees before he can think.</p><p>“Mac?” Jack’s eyes are for the office door, his gun levelled just in case. He looks down at his partner and immediately holsters the gun and crouches down on his other side, opposite Nick. “Mac, baby?” He falters, calling Mac by a pet name in the field. Nick knows it’s against their personal rules. “Mac? Wake up Mac.” He softly slaps Mac’s cheeks.</p><p>Mac groans, his eyes flickering open, that perfect blue looking up at them, back and forth from one to the other with a silly smile on his face. “Good dream,” he mutters and shifts and then gasps. “‘Cept for the pain.”</p><p>“It’s not a dream Mac,” Nick says. “Jack, where was he shot? He said he got shot in the vest. Where?”</p><p>Jack feels around Mac’s vest over near his right side, low on his waist. “Here,” he says, pointing out the bullet still lodged in the kevlar. “See. Stuck in there good. It didn’t penetrate.”</p><p>Nick’s fingers find the bullet and feel around, but Jack’s right, it didn’t go through. He shifts his hands down toward Mac’s hip, and then his boyfriend writhes under his fingertips and groans in pain, long limbs trying to curl in to the centre; instinct trying to protect himself.</p><p>Nick feels around the bottom of the vest, and up just under the edge; his hand comes away wet with blood. Too much blood. Nick’s brain clicks into problem solving mode. “Help me get this vest off Jack,” he says.</p><p>Jack’s radio crackles again while they’re ripping velcro and opening straps as Mac writhes under them. “Dalton! Dalton! We need backup!”</p><p>Jack ignores the calls for help.</p><p>“There’s a first aid kit in here,” Jill says, slipping back into the safe room. She comes back a minute later, kneels down next to Nick, and opens a sizeable plastic box.</p><p>They finally get the vest off, slipping it up over Mac’s head and tossing it aside. “Alright, let’s get this shirt off,” Nick says, starting with the buttons on Mac’s flannel.</p><p>Jack shakes his head, slaps Nick’s hands out of the way, slips his fingers between the button holes and just pulls. Buttons ping around the room, and Jack slips the shirt off.</p><p>Mac’s undershirt is soaked in blood down the right side, so is the flannel. Flannel is pretty absorbent and was probably soaking up a lot of the blood. Mac probably didn’t even realize he’d been shot a second time; the pain radiating out from the bullet stopped by the vest would have been significant, Mac probably just thought it was the same shot. Until the adrenaline had worn off long enough for the blood less to drop him.</p><p>Jack rips the undershirt away too, the flimsy tank tearing easily under his strong fingers.</p><p>A clang sounds in the hallway. </p><p>“Jack, let’s get inside,” Nick says, motioning to the safe room.</p><p>“Can’t do that cowboy,” Jack says, all cold-soldier. “Soon as this wound is bandaged, I’ve gotta get upstairs and help them boys. You heard ‘em. They need back up.”</p><p>Nick moves back to let Jack take over and get his hands on the first aid supplies. Nick can bandage a stable wound, or help with basic first aid. But Jack’s been doing emergency first aid in the field since he started in the military. He’ll be able to help Mac more quickly in the stressful situation.</p><p>“Give me your gun Jack,” Nick demands, holding out his hand.</p><p>“Nicky I ain’t got time for-”</p><p>“If they come in here and find us like this we’re all dead,” Nick says, still holding out his hand. “You know I’m certified. We’ve been to the range together. Let me keep watch while you fix him up.”</p><p>Jack looks up, the hard eyes of a soldier assessing the situation. He slides the gun out of his chest holster and hands it over.</p><p>Nick’s shot this gun before, at the range. It’s Jack’s favourite. He knows it well.</p><p>He turns away and checks the gun, just as Jack always told him he should in a combat situation. Never trust a weapon that was handed to you by someone else unless you’ve checked it first. He holds the gun in a loose grip pointed at the floor so his muscles don’t tire. His reflexes are pretty good, and he’ll have the gun up and aimed before anyone can swing the door open even a crack.</p><p>“Jill, can you hold that shoulder down?” Jack asks.</p><p>Mac groans.</p><p>“Sorry. Sorry,” Jills sweet voice trips off her tongue with apology, but she sounds determined.</p><p>“And hold his arm up and out of the way?”</p><p>Mac grunts.</p><p>Nick resists the urge to look back and focuses on the door. He wants to comfort Mac, tell him it’s ok that he’ll be fine. But that’s not his job right now. He’s the protector now, and he needs to focus.</p><p>“Alright Mac, it ain’t so bad. Messy graze on your side. Took a good chunk out,” Jack says. “No problemo. We’ve seen way worse than this hoss.”</p><p>Nick sighs and feels his muscles relax a little.</p><p>“Then why…” Mac pants. “Does it hurt so much?”</p><p>Nick hears the ripping of tape, the opening of packages.</p><p>“Get me that other bandage Jill?" Jack requests, before turning his attention back to Mac. "Did I not just say the words ‘took a good chunk out? Or it could just be the bruising from the first shot that hit the kevlar makin’ everything worse. Don't worry, when this is all done the docs'll put you on the good meds.”</p><p>Mac huffed out a frustrated noise. “I hate the medical wing.”</p><p>“Don’t we all,” Jack says.</p><p>“Then why are you guys in there so often?” Jill asks.</p><p>Nick can’t help but smile. Jack’s in control. Everything’s going to be ok. Jack will take care of them.</p><p>Mac makes an awful noise behind him, and Nick almost turns. He knows the kind of damage a bullet can cause. He’s seen it from the inside, the way it rips and tears through flesh with no regard. How something so small can cause so much destruction. The gun in his hand feels heavier suddenly as he thinks about what the softest squeeze of a trigger can do to a human body.</p><p>“Come on hoss, you’ve had worse pain than this,” Jack chides, “and you know we’ve gotta do it tight. Keep the pressure on. You’ve lost a lotta blood already dude. Gotta keep the rest in there.”</p><p>“I know, I know,” Mac hisses.</p><p>The doorknob wobbles.</p><p>“Everyone quiet!” Nick whispers over his shoulder.</p><p>Nick levels his gun at the door, hoping there’s not more than one of them. Jack’s suddenly beside him, one of his other guns drawn. Jack pushes Nick to the side to flank the doorway.</p><p>“In here,” a voice drifts through as the door opens; Matty’s stern, yet calming, voice.</p><p>They both lower their guns.</p><p>“Dalton! Stokes!” Matty’s voice isn’t surprised so much as reprimanding. “What are you doing in here?” Three scientists follow her into the small office.</p><p>“Mac got hurt,” Jack says, “I was just gettin’ him patched up before I headed back out. Sounds like they need backup on the top floor.”</p><p>“I was just headed there myself,” Matty says, “I’ll keep you company.”</p><p>“All due respect ma’am, but shouldn’t you stay here with us?” Nick asks. He doesn’t exactly see Matty keeping up with Jack and taking down bad guys.<br/>
Jack laughs and claps Nick on the shoulder. “Watch your mouth or you won’t have a job tomorrow,” he says. “Nobody I’d rather have watchin’ my back than Matty Webber.” He glances down to his bleeding partner on the floor. “‘Cept maybe Mac.”</p><p>“Aww, I’m touched,” Matty says. “You wouldn’t have said that two years ago Dalton,” she adds with a raised eyebrow. “Now we need to move.”</p><p>“You got it boss lady.” Jack kneels back down next to Mac. “Alright, I’m gonna go kick some asses and take some sweet revenge for these guys shootin’ you alright Mac?”</p><p>“Sounds good,” Mac says.</p><p>Jack and Nick carefully pull him up to stand and walk him into the safe room. There are a few cots near the back, and they lay Mac down gently. </p><p>“Now you watch out for him y’hear Nicky?” Jack asks.</p><p>“Won’t take my eyes off ‘im,” Nick replies.</p><p>Jack looks over his shoulder to see if anyone’s watching, but they’re all too occupied getting settled into the shelter. He leans forward and kisses Nick’s lips soft and quick.</p><p>“Be careful,” Nick says.</p><p>“Careful is overrated,” Jack grins before he leans down over Mac and kisses his forehead. “You behave.”</p><p>“Dalton!” Matty’s voice echoes into the room, bouncing off the metal-reinforced walls.</p><p>“I’m comin’ I’m comin’,” he says. “Gonna need that back Nicky.” He gently caresses Nick’s right wrist, the hand that’s still holding the gun.</p><p>Nick had forgotten he still had it. “Oh! Right!” He hands the gun back to Jack.</p><p>“Let’s go boss lady!” Jack struts out, all serious military man, stride determined. Until he passes Jill at the door. “Close ‘er up, and lock ‘er tight Jane,” he says with a wink.</p><p>Jill rolls her eyes, but closes the door.</p><p>The metal clank of the lock engaging echoes through the quiet space, and that’s it. They’re locked in. They’re safe.</p><p>Nick settles in on the ground beside the cot and slips his fingers between Mac’s. It’s an awkward position, but Nick doesn’t care. All that he cares about is that he can still hold Mac’s hand and feel the warmth and blood pumping through him; feel the way he shifts around to get comfortable on the stiff little cot; hear the breath moving in and out.</p><p>Jill comes over with a blanket she found in the shelving full of emergency supplies at the side. She lays it softly over Mac, his shirts still laying in tatters on the floor in the office outside. “Thought you might be cold,” she says softly as she sits down next to Nick and takes his other hand into her own. “You need to stay warm.”</p><p>“Thanks Jill,” Nick says, meeting her eye and smiling probably the saddest smile ever.</p><p>“That’s really so much better,” Mac sighs, snuggling under the blanket. “Thanks Jill.”</p><p>Mac meets Nick’s eye, those baby blue irises twinkling in the bright fluorescent lights of the safe room.</p><p>“I got you,” Nick says, tightening their fingers under the blanket.</p><p>Mac nods. “I know. And Jack’s going to be fine.”</p><p>Relief floods Nick, his muscles all suddenly turning to jelly now that the moment is over and there’s nothing more he can do. Everything will work out. It always does. And of all the places Jack’s ever fought bad guys? He knows the Phoenix building better than any hostile territory he’s ever been on. And he’s always come home.</p><p>“Jack’s going to be fine,” Nick repeats, smiling at Mac.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A few hours later, Nick is sleeping dreamlessly. Exhausted, his brain just needs rest.</p><p>“Nick?” A soft voice.</p><p>More words that are garbled by a brain that isn’t fully awake.</p><p>Something clenched in his hand moves.</p><p>A soft breath on his face.</p><p>Is he at home? He’s too uncomfortable to be in bed.</p><p>“Mac?” He asks, coming up from sleep slowly, his brain taking its dear sweet time. “Jack?”</p><p>“Right here,” Mac groans.</p><p>Groans.</p><p>Hurt.</p><p>Mac’s hurt.</p><p>Nick’s brain pops back to consciousness like a bubble bursting. His eyes open and it’s almost painful in the bright light.</p><p>“Mac? Mac darlin’ are you alright?” His voice is slurred with sleep, but quickly recovering.</p><p>Mac chuckles and looks down at him. He’s too bright. Golden hair shimmering in the light, pale skin glowing, bright eyes piercing into Nick.</p><p>Nick’s leaned over a cot, and Mac’s sitting up on it, a blanket wrapped around him.</p><p>“It’s ok Nick,” Mac’s fingers tighten in his own. “The door’s open. Everything’s ok now.”</p><p>Nick’s been sleeping on the edge of the cot, and his back and neck aren’t thanking him for it. “I fell asleep. How could I - I was supposed to be-“</p><p>Jill’s voice is perky next to him. “It’s ok,” she says, “I was keeping an eye on both of you.”</p><p>Nick stands up so Mac can throw his legs over the side of the cot and put his feet on the floor. Nick’s hands go to Mac’s body, holding him steady as he stands. “Are you feeling ok?”</p><p>“I’ve definitely felt better,” Mac replies, “I wouldn’t complain if you took me up to medical.”</p><p>Jill stays with them until Mac is settled in a bed and the doctor ushers Nick back out into the hall.</p><p>“You can come in as soon as I’ve changed his dressing and got him into a gown.”</p><p>“I don’t need a gown!”</p><p>The doctor sighs. “I’m not having this argument with you again Mr. MacGyver.” The door closes Nick out into the hall.</p><p>Nick sags against the wall feeling totally spent. He needs to find Jack, but he doesn’t want to leave Mac. Jack told him to stay with him, and keep him safe. Nick promised not to take his eyes off of Mac, and he won’t. He won’t break that promise. But he needs to know Jack is ok.</p><p>Nick pulls his cell from his pocket and looks down at the screen. No signal.</p><p>Jill leans next to him, close enough that their shoulders touch. Nick is grateful for the contact.</p><p>“Signal blockers are still up,” Jill says, “cell phones won’t be any good for another hour or two.”</p><p>Nick growls in frustration and throws his phone across the hall. It bursts into pieces when it hits the wall.</p><p>“Well that was dramatic,” Jill chides with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“I just need to know he’s ok,” Nick says. “He goes on missions for days at a time and I don’t feel this way. I don’t understand-”</p><p>Jill stands up. “I’ll take care of it,” she says. “This I can do.”</p><p>“Jill you don’t have to-”</p><p>“And that’s why I’m a good friend. Because I don’t have to, but I want to,” she says with a determined look on her face as she pushes her glasses up her nose and then walks down the hall with a stride not unlike Jack's.</p><p>Nick doesn’t know what to feel. He’s alone. And he feels like he should be doing something. But there’s nothing to do.</p><p>Finally the door to Mac’s room opens. It feels like it’s been hours, when in reality it’s probably been minutes. “You can come in Mr. Stokes.”</p><p>Nick goes immediately to Mac’s bedside. There’s a chair there, but he’s too anxious to sit.</p><p>“Mr. MacGyver tells me you’re basically family so you could be in here for the assessment,” the doctor sighs as though he doesn’t know all of this. All the Phoenix medical personnel know Jack and Mac pretty well considering the amount of time they spend there. But all of the staff try to retain a professional distance.</p><p>“Where’s Jack?” Mac asks.</p><p>Nick shrugs and tries to smile, but his face feels contorted with stress. “Jill went to look for him.”</p><p>Mac just nods.</p><p>Nick takes his hand and links their fingers again.</p><p>“The bullet only grazed, taking a sizeable piece of flesh with it,” the doctor says, “he lost quite a bit of blood and we’re keeping him overnight to observe, and push fluids. I also want to do an x-ray to make sure the bullet didn’t fracture and leave any fragments behind. But I don’t think it has. The extra pain you’re feeling, Mr. MacGyver, is from the first bullet that hit the vest, causing the severe bruising around your side.”</p><p>“So he’ll be alright?” Nick asks.</p><p>“He’ll be just fine,” the doctor replies with a smile at Nick’s obvious distress. “Should be able to go home tomorrow, but no promises. We’ve given you something for the pain. It’ll make you feel sleepy pretty soon.” The doctor puts the chart down. “I’ll let you two have a few minutes, but Mr. Stokes?”</p><p>Nick barely hears the doctor say his name. He’s brushing Mac’s hair back from his forehead, some of it is caked with blood.</p><p>“Mr. Stokes?” The doctor says more firmly.</p><p>“Yeah?” Nick asks, looking up for a second before returning his gaze to Mac.</p><p>“If you stay tonight, you’ll have to stay in the waiting room,” the doctor says, “he needs to rest. I suggest you go home and come back in the morning.”</p><p>“Thanks for the advice doc,” Jack says as he comes into the room.</p><p>Nick feels like he’s going to collapse with relief. He almost does, Jack rushing forward to catch him just before his knees crumple.</p><p>The doctor leaves to give them privacy.</p><p>“Hey cowboy,” Jack says softly, his arms firm around Nick’s middle, holding him up tightly. He smells like gun powder and fire and smoke, but deep down the smell of his aftershave and leather is still there; he’s still Jack at the core.</p><p>Nick feels weak. Jack’s the one who’s been out fighting people, keeping them safe. All Nick did was fall asleep. He should be stronger. “Hey darlin’,” Nick says, hearing the waver in his own voice.</p><p>“I ain’t no one’s darlin’,” Jack replies, their little script playing out as though the world didn’t just go topsy turvy for a few hours. He kisses Nick’s neck, just below his ear, because neither of them will pull far away enough for them to do more.</p><p>Nick whispers, hoping Mac won’t hear. “I stayed with him Jack, just like you asked,” he says, letting his cheek slide along Jack’s scruff. “He’s going to be just fine.”</p><p>“I know Nicky,” Jack replies, just as soft. “I know you did Nicky. You did a good job. I’m real proud’a you. Takin’ point like that. Perfect form you know that?”</p><p>“Hey guys,” Mac says, his voice sounding a little groggy, but otherwise normal. “I’m the one who’s hurt here. Assuming that you’re ok Jack?”</p><p>Jack pulls back and walks to the head of Mac’s bed. “I’m just fine hoss.”</p><p>“Ok, well then I would love some attention too,” Mac smiles, “since I’m the one who’s actually injured here. Bullet hole and everything.” His voice is starting to slur a little from the drugs entering his system.</p><p>Jack laughs, and it catches Nick. They put their arms around each other and giggle.</p><p>“Be careful what you wish for,” Jack says.</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mac asks.</p><p>Nick’s feeling more normal by the second, legs feeling steady, emotions falling back into place. “It means that we’re going to smother you in attention until you’re all better,” Nick says.</p><p>“Smother away,” Mac holds out his arms to indicate they should start immediately.</p><p>Jack runs the backs of his fingers from Mac’s hand, up his arm until he can take Mac’s cheek into his palm. His thumb traces the high cheekbone, and then slides down to smooth over his bottom lip. “You’re gonna be ok,” Jack says, quiet and serious.</p><p>Mac nods, head wobbling too far back and forward. “Doctor says home tomorrow.”</p><p>Jack sighs and his body relaxes from taut agent back to casual, comfortable Jack.</p><p>“You’re in for a real treat tonight Nicky,” Jack says, “Mac on drugs is one of the best shows in town.” He barks a laugh and rips at the velcro of his tac vest, before pulling it off over his head and dropping it in the uncomfortable looking chair.</p><p>“M’not,” Mac grumbles. “You’re on drugs.”</p><p>Jack leans over the bed and pulls Mac into a hug.</p><p>“Drugs or not. Still hurts Jack,” Mac groans, but he wraps his arms tight around Jack’s shoulders and holds on tight.</p><p>Jack slacks off and pulls away. “How you feelin’ hoss?” He puts an arm around Nick like he needs to be holding onto someone. Nick can do this for Jack, this is easy. He loops his arm around Jack’s waist and they pull each other tight together.</p><p>“Feel like a marsh’m’llow,” Mac says, sliding down in the bed a little so his head can rest comfortably on the pillow.</p><p>“I mean how’s your side feelin’,” Jack laughs.</p><p>“Better,” Mac says, his eyes getting heavy. “Doesn’t hurt anymore. Nick took good care of me. He didn’t even fall asleep… promise.”</p><p>Nick feels his face flush.</p><p>“He didn’t, huh?” Jack raises an eyebrow at Nick, but he’s still smiling.</p><p>Mac sits up suddenly in bed and hisses, putting a hand lightly to his bandaged side. “Wait!”</p><p>“It’s ok Mac,” Nick steps forward and pushes Mac back gently so he’ll lay down. “Everything’s alright baby. What’s wrong?”</p><p>Mac’s breathing slows and his eyes start to droop again. “Falling… asleep. But don’t leave. Don’t leave me, ok?”</p><p>“We ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Jack says over his shoulder.</p><p>Mac finally drifts, letting his eyes close and Nick watches his entire body slump into exhausted and drug-induced sleep.</p><p>He drags Jack over near the doorway so they won’t wake Mac when they whisper. “Doctors said we can’t stay Jack.”</p><p>Jack rolls his eyes. “They say that every time,” he says, “do I listen? Not once ever I have not.” He pulls Nick out into the hallway. “There’s some awesome comfy leather chairs down in that waiting area there. You go grab one and drag it on back here, and then I’ll go get mine. They’re the best for sleepin’ in.”</p><p>“Won’t we be in the way?” Nick asks. “If the nurses and docs come in during the night to check on him?”</p><p>Jack shakes his head. “Nicky baby I’ve done this a million times. We’ll be fine. And when Mac wakes up we’ll be right there snorin’ like idiots so he can make fun of us for the rest of our lives.”</p><p>Nick smiles and hugs Jack again, fingers fisting up in his shirt. “If you say so darlin’.”</p><p>“I’ll be your darlin’ for tonight,” Jack says, voice suddenly full of emotion. “But tomorrow everything goes back to normal y’hear?”</p><p>“Ok darlin’,” Nick laughs.</p><p>“Now scoot and go get yourself a chair,” Jack says, pulling away and smacking Nick’s butt.</p><p>Ten minutes later they’re settled into the corner of Mac’s room in big comfy chairs, hands sharing an armrest, fingers linked together… snoring.</p>
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